Wheel.



No. 805,427. PATHNTHD Nov. 21, 1905. H. H. PORTER, JE. WHEEL.

' Ham/[iPolel: Jr, f H/ PATENTED NOV. 2l, 1905.

H.- H. PORTER, JR.

WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAINS. 1904.

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2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. PORTER, JR., OFVOHIOAGQILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SWANITZ COMPANY,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Original application filed March 17, 1902, Serial No. 98,634. Dividedand this application filed March 16, 1904. Serial No. 198,350.

To all whom it 19a/ty concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. PORTER Jr., a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the State of Illinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Wheels, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates particularly to wheels designed to run alternatelyupon a rail or upon a plane surface. The devices herein describedconstitute a division of my prior application No. 98,634 filed March 171902, and the objects of the present invention are, to provide ashiftable wheel flange which may rotate either with the tread of thewheel vor independently therefrom; to provide a superior mounting of theflange upon the axle and superior means for throwing it into and out ofoperation; to provide a superior mounting of the wheel upon a pivotedarbor on the end of' the axle, and to generally improve the structureand operation of such wheels. These objects, and other advantages tohereinafter appear, I attain by means of the construction illustrated inpreferred forms in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is aninside elevation of a wheel embodying my improvements in a form havingpositive means for shifting the iiange bearing;

Figure 2 is an edge view or elevation looking from the left of Figure 1with the handle of the lever removed and portions of the rim brokenaway;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section through the wheel with theange in operative position;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a portion of Figure 1 showing the apparatusfor moving the ange;

Figure 5 is an elevation taken from the right of Figure 2 showingdetails of the ange shifting mechanism;

Figures 6 and 7 are respectively, a partial inside elevation, and atransverse vertical section, of a modified form of my wheel in which theflange is directly attached to the wheel, and the wheel and flange areboth mounted upon a pivoted knuckle or arbor upon the end of the axle;

Figure 8 is half of an outside elevation of the wheel of Figure 7. theline (7) therein showing the section of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a partial edge view and partial section of the same wheelshowing the flange elevated out of operative position;

Figures 1() and 11 are detail views showing parts of locking mechanism,the latter figure being a vertical section showing a modified locdllringmeans for the iiange bearing sleeve, an

Figure 12 is a view similar to the latter but showing a differentarrangement of bearing on the axle.

Referring rst to Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, it will be seen that I havetherein shown a wheel 13, which is provided with a flangedisk 14separate from the wheel, and mounted to rotate about a sleeve ordisk-center 17, which surrounds the axle 15, and is constructed with aslotted opening 18 to permit it to be raised and lowered when it isdesired to raise or lower the flange-disk 14, the sleeve 17 being alsoprovided with a pivotal support 24 and an extension 25, forming a handlewhereby thesleeve may be raised or lowered by lever 26 in shifting theflange-disk 17. The pivotal support 24 of the sleeve having engagementwith the bracket 23 formed as an extension of the casting 16, preventsany rotative movement of the sleeve around the axle, while at the sametime permitting the same to be raised and lowered as described.

When the parts are in the position shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, it isevident that the iiange is concentric with the wheel, and is in effect aflange for the wheel similar in all respects to the iiange employed onwheels of this character in railway transportation. When in thisposition the iiange and wheel are secured relative to each other bymeans of the locking block 19, which is pushed into the recess 18 belowthe axle in the position shown, by means of the spring 27, shown moreclearly in Figure 2, acting on the lever 21 which engages block 19 bypin 20 and is pivoted on a pin 22 on the axle bearing bracket 16.

In the mechanism shown in these gures, when it is desired to raise theflange-disk to bring it out of operative position, the lever 21 is movedagainst the resistance of the spring 27 and pin 28, to pull the block 19out of engagement with the sleeve 17, when by the lever 26 the sleeve 17is raised, carrying with it the flange disk 14, the amount of raisingmotion being sufcient to bring the disk high enough so that the edge ofthe flange will be IOO out of contact with the ground and the wheel freeto run upon its tread surface without interference from the flange. Inthis form of the wheel, I have not indicated any special means ofconnection between the flange-disk and the wheel, this being unnecessaryon wheels of relative small diameter, but in some instances I prefer todirectly connect the wheel and flange, as shown in Figures 6 to 12.

In this modification designed for large wheels, it will be seen that thewheel 29, the flange 30, and the bearing sleeve 17 are much the same asbefore, except that the wheel and flange are connected otherwise than bymeans of the axle. rI`he wheel is provided on its web with a hollowridge 35 preferably cast with the wheel and providing a channel whichopens through the annular slot 35n to the inner side of the wheel. Aseries of bolts 36 extend through this slot and engage the radial slots38 in the flange by means of the squared bearing heads 37 which restthereon as shown in Figure 6. The nuts of the bolts may be covered by anannular guard 39 when desired. At one point on the annular slot of thewheel there is provided a screw plug 40 which may be taken out for thepurpose of introducing the bolts 36, it being' understood that thesebolts may travel around through the entire circumference of the slot 35.rlhis thoroughly clamps the wheel and flange together at points outsideof the bearing and yet at the same time allows of independent rotationof the two parts and also radial variation in their position so as tosuit the conditions of travel so that the wheel and flange (which are ofdifferent diameter) are not required to revolve at the same rate.

In the form of the improvement shown in.

these figures it will be seen that the axle 32 is in the form of anarbor which is pivoted to main axle 33 by head 34, and in place of apinto engage the slot in the bearing sleeve 17 I provide on its surface apair of lugs 41 as shown in Figure6 which, when the wheel is inoperative position, are moved down and catch under the snap hook 42 (seeFigure 9), which is pivoted at 31 on the head 34 of the knuckle and ispressed inward by a spring' to engage the lugs 41. Theselugs also engagethe sides of head 34 to prevent revolution of the sleeve. A preferablemeans of fastening the flange in place however, is that shown in Figures11 and 12, comprising a springpressed bolt 43 whose operation will beapparent from said figures. In this form of the bearing sleeve 17thelugs for preventing it from rotation by engagement with the sides ofthe head 34, may be avoided by reason of the fact that the pin 43 willprevent the sleeve from rotation. It will be understood that when thehook 42, or the pin 43, is withdrawn the contact of flange '30 with aplane surface will automatically raise the flange, and either lock it inraised position in the case of bolt 43 or merely allow of its beingsupported continually by the floor and dropping downA when entering theslot of a track. 'Ihe bolt 43, or the hook 42, or in the form of Figurel, the lever 21, may be operated manually, or by automatic means asshown in my prior application, as may be preferred.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

1. The combination of a wheel and non-rotative axle, a flange disk, abearing sleeve for the disk engaging the axle by an elongated slot, andlocking means therefor, the flange disk being movable Aindependent ofthe wheel in turning.

2. The combination with an annular slotted wheel, of a flange attachedthereto by bolts working in the slot, and means for shifting the flangeon the wheel into and out of operative position and locking it in eitherposition.

3. The combination of a wheel provided with a circumferential slot orgroove, aflange attached to said wheel by bolts in said groove andmounted on a movable sleeve on the axis of the wheel for shifting thesaid flange vertically and means for locking said sleeve in place,whereby said flange may be thrown into and out of operative position andmay revolve relatively to the said wheel.

4. The combination with a wheel and a fixed axle, of a movable hub uponsaid axle, a flange upon said hub, and means foi` shifting the hub tothrow the flange into operative position,said hub being provided with aslot and a pin for engaging said slot to hold the eccentric in place.

5. The combination with a wheel of a shiftable flange attached theretoand mounted upon an eccentric hub, said hub being provided with lugspermitting a vertical motion but preventing a revolution thereof, andmeans to hold the hub in raised position.

6. The combination with a wheel and axle, of a shiftable flange mountedupon a movable hub on the axle, means for shifting the hub and a slot inthe hub and co-operating bolts engaging said slot to prevent the hubfrom moving, substantially as described.

7. A wheel provided with a flange disk of greater diameter, said flangedisk being' attached to the wheel outside the axle by means allowingindependent movement of the wheel and flange disk.

8. A wheel provided with a flange disk of greater diameter, said flangedisk being attached to the wheel outside the axle by means allowingindependent movement ofwheel and flange disk, and means for shifting theflange out of operative position.

9. The combination of a fixed axle, a wheel, a shiftable flange disk, avertically movable bearing sleeve for the disk, and means directly IOOIIO

IIS

ISO

a wheel thereon, of a rotative and shiftable disk forming a flange forthe wheel, and a l spring-pressed snap hook to hold the disk inoperative position.

13. rlhe combination with anon-rotative pivoted bearingknuckle of awheel and a flange disk thereon, a slotted bearing sleeve for the diskand means to prevent its revolution and to lock it in operativeposition.

In testimony whereof I have hereunder signed my name in the presence ofthe two subscribed witnesses.

HENRY H. PORTER, JR.

Witnesses:

R. B. MASON, BLANCHE VARNUM.

